Upcoming Events

TS ELIOT Four Quartets BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132 Jeremy Irons narrator Soloists of the Oxford Philharmonic Beethoven’s music was coursing through TS Eliot’s mind when he wrote his wartime poetic masterpieces, the Four Quartets. In this performance at the Sheldonian Theatre, Jeremy Irons recites Eliot’s unsurpassed contemplation of time, the universe and the divine while Soloists of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra play Beethoven’s testament to beauty and humanity, the String Quartet Op. 132. Pivoting on its…

BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Op. 18 No. 6 String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135 String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3, ‘Razumovsky’ Takács Quartet It is already an iconic string quartet, but according to The Spectator, the Takács Quartet has ‘never sounded better.’ At this concert in Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre, the ensemble opens up Beethoven’s universe via string quartets early, mature and late. They start with the freewheeling atmosphere…

BEETHOVEN   Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Marios Papadopoulos piano/conductor Should there be any doubts as to why the world is celebrating Beethoven in 2020, this concert will dispel them. From the fearsome opening thunderclap of the fifth symphony, Beethoven developed a new kind of symphonic discourse through relentless focus on one musical motto invested with unstoppable momentum. After the bursting…

Alasdair Malloy presenter We have received a Royal Proclamation from The Magical Kingdom! This is your invitation to attend a Grand Ball for Princes and Princesses, Fairies and Giants, Kings and Queens, and other Kindly Creatures. Magical Music will be provided by the merry minstrels of the Oxford Philharmonic, ruled over by King Alasdair of the Magical Kingdom. Such events only happen Once Upon a Time so make sure you come along and you’ll certainly Live Happily Ever After. Pre-concert craft…

BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 Marios Papadopoulos piano/conductor The seventh is Beethoven’s most fascinating symphony – a work whose new vision of rhythm’s relationship with harmony produced the most physical, compelling music that had ever been created. Beethoven wasn’t just exploring new techniques, he was giving voice to a wave of joy that had swept into his life and filled him with determination and optimism. Before it,…

Travel back in time to the Roaring Twenties as Blenheim Palace invites bright young things to a magnificent party celebrating this famously decadent decade.   ‘Let’s Misbehave – Blenheim Palace in the 1920s’ is a fascinating insight into the heady world of the upper classes in a time of great social, artistic and political change.   The 9th Duke of Marlborough and his second wife, American intellectual, Gladys Deacon, were lavish hosts at the baroque Oxfordshire Palace.   Their numerous…

TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 RACHMANINOV     Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 Yuri Zhislin violin Marios Papadopoulos conductor ‘How fresh, how beautiful it is’ remarked one critic after the first performance of Sergei Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 in 1908. There is a reason this symphony is deemed the composer’s most perfect orchestral creation, as rich textures and sombre harmonies wrap themselves around Rachmaninov’s finely contoured melodies. The music smoulders, flares up and propels itself towards…

Suzi Ruffell has made a name for herself by turning tragedy and anxiety into big laughs. This year she is actually happy. This show answers the question: are all stand-ups at their best when they are miserable? Fingers crossed no! A mix of storytelling, observations, a dash of social politics and a lovely routine about a smear test. This show has everything. The last twelve months have been massive for Ruffell: a smash hit UK tour, heaps of television appearances including Live At The…

A feel-good family show mixing Kathak, hip hop, contemporary and street dance, with live music and physical storytelling, to create a playful and colourful world exploring curiosities and fears, the times we feel different and when we belong. Inspired by the well-known Anglo-Asian phrase ‘same, same but different’, meaning “Yes, something kind of similar, but not the exact same thing”, the three dancer-musicians conjure a magical atmosphere celebrating individuality, diversity and the bonds which connect us all. Award-winning Sonia Sabri…

SIBELIUS   Finlandia, Op. 26 Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82 Anna-Liisa Bezrodny violin Douglas Boyd conductor Depressed, broke and ill, Jean Sibelius walked onto his veranda one day and saw a flock of 16 swans taking flight over the lake. ‘One of the greatest moments of my life,’ Sibelius wrote in his diary, ‘legato in the trumpets.’ The swans gave Sibelius the main theme for his fifth symphony. In its…

Dispatches on the Red Dress is an intimate and courageous new show by twice BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning songwriter Rowan Rheingans. Adventurous new writing meets the warmth of a folk gig in this heartfelt and personal one-woman show, uniquely weaving immersive storytelling with live fiddle, banjo and original songs taken from Rowan’s brand new genre-melding debut solo album The Lines We Draw Together. Unravelling the joy and pain from a story of her grandmother’s youth in 1940’s Germany, Rowan celebrates small…

Jess Thom has Tourettes, a condition that means she makes movements and noises she can’t control, called tics. Following award-winning Backstage In Biscuit Land, she takes on Samuel Beckett’s short play in a theatrical experience that explores neurodiversity and asks who is allowed to perform what and who gets the final say. Access Note All performances are BSL integrated and Relaxed. This means that if you tic, shout or move about, you’re more than welcome. And the great thing is, everyone…